The reason for Shakyamuni’s appearance in our world and why His teaching on Amida Buddha is the most difficult to accept in faith - commentary on section 13

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

“Śāriputra, just as I now praise the inconceivable virtue of other Buddhas, they also praise my inconceivable virtue, saying, ‘Śākyamuni Buddha, you have accomplished an extremely difficult and unprecedented task. In this Sahā world, during the evil period of the five defilements – those of time, views, passions, sentient beings, and lifespan – you have attained highest, perfect Enlightenment and, for the sake of sentient beings, have delivered this teaching which is the most difficult in the world to accept in faith.’
 
“Śāriputra, you must realize that I have accomplished this difficult task during the period of the five defilements. That is to say, having attained highest, perfect Enlightenment, I have for the sake of the world delivered this teaching, which is so hard for people to accept in faith. This is indeed an extremely difficult task.”[1]
 
According to Shinran Shonin’s interpretation, the reason for Shakyamuni Buddha’s coming to this world was to teach about the unconditional salvation offered by Amida[2]. As He taught the story of Amida and His 48 Vows (among which the 18^th/Primal Vow is the most important) in the Larger Sutra, that discourse too, is Shakyamuni’s true reason for His appearance in human form[3]:
 
“The Larger Sutra reveals the true teaching. It is indeed the right exposition for which the Tathagata (Buddha) appeared in the world, the wondrous scripture rare and most excellent, the conclusive and ultimate exposition of the One Vehicle, the precious words disclosing perfect, instantaneous fulfilment[4], the sincere words praised by all the Buddhas throughout the ten quarters, the true teaching in consummate readiness for the beings of this day. Let this be known.”[5]

Some characteristics of beings born in the Pure Land - commentary on section 5 (part 1) of the Smaller Amida Sutra

                                             

          This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

“Again, Śāriputra, all sentient beings born in the Land of Utmost Bliss dwell in the stage of non-retrogression. Many of them are in the stage of becoming a Buddha after one more life. Their number is so great that it is beyond reckoning; it can only be described as innumerable, unlimited, and incalculable.”[1]
 
The sentence “all sentient beings born in the Land of Utmost Bliss dwell in the stage of non-retrogression” has two meanings,
 
1.     all sentient beings born in the border land of the Pure Land will never retrogress again in samsara and when they abandon the illusion of self-power will certainly advance to  the center (the fulfilled land) of the Pure Land where they attain Buddhahood
2.     those who are born in the center of the Pure Land are already in the stage of non-retrogression which they’ve actually attained when they first entrusted themselves totally and exclusively to Amida Buddha in their present life. So, when they reach the Pure Land they immediately become Buddhas.
 
The 1^st meaning needs no further explanation, so I will explain again the 2^nd meaning.
The stage of non-retrogression has many names, like for example, “the definitely assured state” as in the 11^th Vow of Amida Buddha, “the stage of the truly settled”, “the truly settled of the Mahayana”, “the stage equal to perfect Enlightenment”, “assured of Nirvana”, “assured of birth in the Pure Land”, etc.

The reason for the western location of the Pure Land – commentary on section 2 of the Smaller Amida Sutra

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

“The Buddha then said to Elder Shariputra: “If you travel westward from here, passing a hundred thousand koṭis of Buddha lands, you will come to the land called Utmost Bliss, where there is a Buddha named Amitayus (Amida). He is living there now, teaching the Dharma.”[1]
 
In order to show that Amida’s Pure Land is not a metaphor, but a real enlightened place in which people can actually aspire to be born after death, the land is given a direction and is described in great details in the three sutras.
 
Some say that the direction “west” and the marvellous descriptions of the Pure Land are proofs it is only a symbol or metaphor. But the truth is that by making the effort to describe in many words the wonders of the Pure Land and by pointing to a direction – “if you travel westward from here, passing a hundred thousand koṭis of Buddha lands, you will come to the land called Utmost Bliss” or where to face the Pure Land when worshipping Amida, as in the Larger Sutra[2], Shakyamuni Buddha wanted to emphasize its actual existence as a real enlightened place [3]where sentient beings should aspire to be born without worry and doubt. It is as though I speak to you about a beautiful park that I would like you to visit. If I tell you, “it’s there, in the west of the town” and I start describing it to you, then you will have no doubt about its existence and you will wish to see it. It’s the same with the expression “Pure Land of the West” that appears in many texts.

to be continued

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[1] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Centre for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.91
[2] Read chapter, “The testimony of Ananda and the audience gathered on Vulture Peak to the existence of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land – commentary on sections 41 and 42” from my Commentary on the Sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life. In those sections Ananda is asked by Shakyamuni to rearrange his robes, put his palms together and worship Amida. Then, “Ananda stood up, rearranged his robes, assumed the correct posture, faced westward, and, demonstrating his sincere reverence, joined his palms together, prostrated himself on the ground, and worshiped Amitayus.”
The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.65
 [3] Question from a reader: I was told that the Pure Land is a state of consciousness and not a real place with forms and manifestations. What do you think? 

My answer: States of consciousness do not exclude forms and manifestations. In fact, depending on the states of consciousness one dwells in, various forms appear. Thus, for unenlightened beings, samsaric bodies and realms come into existence as effects of their specific karmic obscurations. When one becomes a Buddha, transcendental manifestations arise as the effect of Enlightenment and the wish to save all beings.There will always be forms and manifestations, no matter we are enlightened or unenlightened. When unenlightened conditions are present, unenlightened forms which lead to more attachments and blind passions, appear. When Enlightenment is present, enlightened forms or manifestations appear - this is why all Buddhas assume various transcendent bodies and create special spheres of influence which are called Pure Lands.Buddhas do not depend on forms and their minds are always free from attachment to forms, but this does not mean they reject forms. Only deluded practitioners can fall in the wrong view of attachment to emptiness and negate forms, saying that everything, including the Pure Land, is just a state of mind.In our samsaric world everything is the effect of our unenlightened karma and so we live in a garden of never-ending desires and suffering. Contrary to this, the Pure Land is the effect or the manifestation of Amida Buddha's Enlightenment and of His wish to save all beings. Everything there is conducive to Enlightenment. Shakyamuni Buddha clearly explained the Pure Land of Amida as a real place with various forms which He insisted that they are not the product of unenlightened karma, but the manifestations of Amida. So, He indicated that the Pure Land is both an existing place and a place of Enlightenment.The foundation of samsara is ignorance and blind passions; the foundation (essence) of the Pure Land is Nirvana or Perfect Enlightenment. Both ignorance and Enlightenment are accompanied by forms. Ignorance and blind passions give rise to various samsaric realms, while perfect Enlightenment manifest Pure Lands. Thus, the Pure Land of Amida is the effect of His Enlightenment and the wish to save all beings as expressed in His 48 vows. This is the right teaching on the Pure Land.

Everything in the Pure Land is the manifestation of Amida Buddha - commentary on section 3 of the Smaller Amida Sutra

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

The key for understanding section 3 is the passage where Shakyamuni explains to Sariputra the origin of the birds in the Pure Land,
 
“Again, Śāriputra, in that land there are always many kinds of rare and beautiful birds of various colors, such as white geese, peacocks, parrots, śāris, kalaviṅkas, and jīvaṃjīvakas. Six times during the day and night birds sing with melodious and delicate sounds, which proclaim such teachings as the five roots of good, the five powers, the seven practices leading to Enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path. On hearing them, all the people of that land become mindful of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Śāriputra, you should not assume that these birds are born as retribution for evil karma. The reason is that none of the three evil realms exists in that Buddha land. Śāriputra, even the names of the three evil realms do not exist there; how much less the realms themselves! These birds are manifested by Amitāyus (Amida) so that their singing can proclaim and spread the Dharma.”[1]

The Stupa of All Buddhas at Amidaji temple

 

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in limba romana

NEW! The concrete platform for the Stupa of All Buddhas is ready

General matters

After much thought, prayer, discussion and contemplation of various options, I finally decided that the Stupa of All Buddhas to be built at Amidaji will be inspired by the Dhamek Stupa (👈left image) which is located in the Deer Park at Sarnath in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.[1] The reasons are many, among which I mention the following, 

-       its style is better suited for a non-sectarian stupa: it is clearly not Tibetan, not Japanese, not Chinese, etc, but a simple Indian stupa style to which any Buddhist can relate to  - nobody can say, “this stupa belongs to a Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese school, etc”, but simply see it as a stupa.

-       its form is simple and easier to build locally, without the sophisticated architecture of a Tibetan chorten[2] or Japanese/Chinese pagoda

-       as Dhamek stupa commemorates the first teaching of the Buddha it is very suitable as an inspiration for the Stupa of All Buddhas which represents the Teaching of all Buddhas 

A HEART ADVICE to my friends

Stay away from anybody, either Buddhists or nonBuddhists, who try to give you the "gift" of fear, that is, who tell you that you are under some kind of evil influence because you think differently than them, for whom difference of vision on a certain project or topic means bad spirit influence. Who even want to exorcize or pacify spirits instead of pacifying themselves and accepting the differences between them and others.

Chose your partners and collaborators carefully and stay away from cult/sectarian mentality and fear. In this dark age of mappo have faith in Amida and/or any Buddha of your choice, engage in direct spiritual relation with them by saying their Names or mantras and praying to them for guidance, instead of worshipping flawed human beings.

Have the courage to work for your vision if it is supported by a honest intention even if the whole world is against you, calling you stubborn and under "evil influences".

It's ok to suffer when you are misunderstood by your close ones, but it's not ok to stop, so keep fighting the fight you believe is right.

Namo Amida Bu